Some of our animal-adoring ARKive team had a whale of a time while choosing their favourite species, whereas for others, the cat simply had their tongue. Last time Rebecca Moran shared her admiration for the awe-inspiring manta ray which super special species will come out on top this week?

Why? I have always had a love of birds, and parrots are a particular favourite. For me, the vivid colours and loud calls of the scarlet macaw are an irreplaceable part of the rainforest. I have been lucky enough to study these intelligent birds as they gather with other parrots and macaws at ‘clay licks’ in the forest – a wildlife spectacle never to be forgotten!

Favourite image on ARKive?

Scarlet macaw preening

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao) is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Although common throughout its range, this species is threatened by habitat loss, hunting for food and feathers and capture for the pet trade.